10 Scary Restaurant Salads That Will Destroy Your Diet

Restaurants can be a dietary danger zone. With deep-fried appetizers, cheesy sauces and super-sized entrees lurking in every corner of the menu, the salad section may seem like a safe haven. You can't go wrong with fresh greens, right? The problem is, many eateries use those greens as a deceptively healthy foundation for a bevy of bad-for-you toppings that can send calorie counts skyrocketing into the four-digit zone.

Next time you head out for a bite, don't be fooled by these 10 scary salads.

Steak is always a high-calorie and high-fat choice, even when it's mixed with greens. When you add in the tortilla strips and dressing, you have a four-digit calorie count--and the sodium equivalent of 202 cans of soda.2. TGI Friday's Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad1,080 calories, 71 g fat, 1,650 mg sodium, 76 g carbs

Boasting such healthy ingredients as cranberries, oranges, glazed pecans and bleu cheese, this salad might initially seem like a wise choice—but with the crispy pecan-crusted chicken and balsamic vinaigrette dressing, it will add nearly as many calories as two Big Macs from McDonald's.

The slew of veggies and bed of fresh greens don't cancel out the crispy chicken tenders, bacon, cheese and croutons that send it well over the 1,000-calorie mark. This salad packs as much fat as six Hershey bars.

Chicken and spinach is better than a stack of hotcakes, right? Not when it packs 1,340 calories and 85 grams of fat, courtesy of the crispy-fried chicken, cheese, bacon, honey-mustard dressing and a side of garlic bread.5. Buffalo Wild Wings' Mediterranean Salad1,380 calories, 104 g fat, 2,400 mg sodium, 62 g carbs

When you look beyond the healthy-sounding "Mediterranean" buzzword and the bevy of fresh veggies, you'll find a whopping 104 grams of fat and almost an entire day's worth of calories. Culprits include the pita chips, cheese and tzatziki-feta dressing.

The presence of Asian greens doesn't offset the mammoth calorie and fat content of this deceptive dish. Generally speaking, when fried chicken is the star of the salad, it's best to keep scanning for a healthier option. You'd have to jog at a 12-minute-per-mile pace for 2-1/2 hours to burn it off.

Don't let the lettuce fool you—this so-called salad is nothing short of a deconstructed quesadilla. You'd need to walk at a moderate pace for more than six hours to burn off the calories consumed in this salad. Plus, it contains more than the recommended daily intake of sodium.

Served in a tortilla shell and topped with sour cream, refried beans and cheeses, this dietary disaster has nearly as many calories and fat grams as three Big Macs. You'd have to do the elliptical machine for 2-1/2 hours to offset the calorie count.9. California Pizza Kitchen's Moroccan Spiced Chicken Salad1,500 calories, 99 g fat, 1,380 mg sodium, 128 g carbs

With ingredients like butternut squash, avocado, red peppers, toasted almonds, beets and dates, it's hard to believe this salad has 1,500 calories and just under 100 grams of fat.

It's hard to believe a seemingly innocent Caesar salad could pack more calories than two Whoppers from Burger King. The piles of parmesan cheese, high-fat dressing and croutons make this dish a danger for dieters.

What are some of the best and worst salad choices you've seen when dining out?

Always get dressing on the side. Dressing, cheese, and croutons pack most of the "empty calories" in a salad. Dip your fork in it, then spear a big mouthful of greens. You'll end up eating only about half the amount, IF that.
Report

I love the Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad so I go for lunch and get the smaller portion and ask for grilled chicken rather than the fried. I also budget for it. It's a rare treat, not even once a month so I don't feel like it destroys what I'm doing.
Report

Montana's Apple Pecan Salad - especially the small lunch size - is low in calories even with added grilled chicken added - as long as you skip the balsamic dressing! The dressing was more than the salad without the chicken.
Report

I'm not shocked by any of this, we don't go out much, and it's good to finally have a salad that tastes good for a change, the extra healthy ones are too boring, makes me choke to think of eating another one at home. I like spinach, but regular lettuce is so blah. Doesn't matter how you doctor it up, it's the same old stuff.
Report

Man, i'm bummed! When we go to Applebee's, which isn't very often, I have always gotten Oriental chicken salad. I eat half & eat the rest for lunch the next day. I had no idea it was so 'polluted"!
Report

Amazing! For me some of the best and worst are often found at a salad bar....easy to heap on high fat and high calorie toppings and just as easy to fill it up with the healthier options. My choice.
Report

That's incredible! I know the calories are high but the Caesar had the least fat! That has to be a small plus? Can't believe most of these salads have around 100g of fat? Would be beneficial to know what type of fat and the values for each though.
Report

I get Togo's asian chicken salad (190 calories). The dressing is 370 calories, so I use 1/4 to 1/2 of the amount they provide.
Report

SUZIEQIAM

I had a Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad at Applebee's Saturday night thinking I was doing so well on my diet....HA Not only loaded with calories but carbs also! I am doing low carb so I figured the Bacon vinegarette would be fine...WRONG! 48 CARBS!
Report

most restaurant food is over the top with sodium and the calories can be ridiculous. I have gotten in the habit of checking them out on line first since I really do not eat a lot of salt and have not for almost 40 years. I have even been known to e-mail restaurant chains to discuss the menu items. People think they are getting healthy food choices because of marketing techniques but lots of hidden dangers in most restaurant food. Even Chipotle Grill having gone organic... way too high in the sodium and they told me that would not be changing... so I told them I would not be eating at their restaurant. I have even asked some "in good conscience, how can you promote these items and healthier choices when a large portion of America is either diabetic or prediabetic and the sodium is really not good for them?" - the response... NONE!!!
Report

Kind of shocked to see that Chevy's fajita salads is over 1,000+ calories especially when the portion size is kinda small (unless the dressing plays a big part of it). Might as well just order their plain fajita dish on its own!
Report

How many of those salad calorie counts include the dressing? It would be nice to include counts w/ and w/o the dressing.

Note to save calories: have the dressing on the side. Stick your fork in the dressing, then stab the lettuce onto your fork. It won't be as flavorful at first but when you get used to it, it tastes pretty good.

NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! The quesadilla explosion salad is my favorite!!! BUT! I'm wondering if mine is different (please say yes)!? I order the lunch portion, do not get the dressing it comes with and I opt for their house dressing, and ALWAYS have them put sliced avocado on it. It's just so yummy!
Report

I knew that chilis quesadilla explosion salad was going to be on that list. My family loves Chilis and it's one of the hardest places to find heathy option, though I know they have a few now.
Report

GHOULU

Why don't they ever post the carbs ? To me, carbs are the most important. they are the hardest to burn, and retain the longest. Seriously, people eat bread and load on cranberries. People need to understand carbs are the # 1 reason for weight gain.
Report

I get salads at Salsarita's and Moe's because I can tell them exactly what I want on it and their websites have a nutrition builder where I can type in what I am having and they add it right up for me.
Report

ARIZONATINA

I get the Grilled Chicken Salad at Chilis. Yummy. I don't remember the nutritional info but it's a lot healthier than the salads mentioned here. I get it without the corn and bean salsa because I prefer it that way. I get the dressing, which is a lime vinaigrette and a little sweet, but nutrition is still not bad.
Report

MEBADEB

We rarely eat out now. I used to like the Fajita Salad at On The Border with salsa instead of dressing but it makes me so thirsty afterwards that I cannot eat it anymore. What is the reason the sodium is so high in these salads? What every it is I'd love to know so I can stay away from it!
Report

I do eat out and I have no problem finding salads that are 230 cal or less. Wendy's strawberry fields salad-no cheese, seeds, or dressing is delish. Many restaurants have interactive nutrition calculators so you can see the nutrition info and add or remove ingredients and see the results - these are my favorites. Look for salads with dark greens/spinach and skip the cheese, croutons, dressing and other high calorie items that we are all aware of and you can find salads that will keep you satisfied and on plan..
Report

i'm surprised at how many people are still choosing 'fat-free' dressing as a 'healthy' choice. that crap is loaded with sugar in addition to the weird stuff they put it to thicken it up. enjoy modest amounts of olive oil and leave the fat free alone.
Report

My new fav is Wendy's Asian Cashew Chicken Salad. The half size comes in at only 230 calories. And since I usually use only half the dressing it comes down to about 210. The full size is great for dinner and under 500 calories.
Report

My favorite salad BEFORE I started looking at calorie/fat/sodium was always California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Crunch. They do offer a "half" version, but I used to get the full salad: 1230 calories, 83g fat, 1560mg sodium. Delicious, but deadly!
Report

SparkPeople, SparkCoach, SparkPages, SparkPoints, SparkDiet, SparkAmerica, SparkRecipes, DailySpark, and other marks are trademarks of SparkPeople, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this website can be used without the permission of SparkPeople or its authorized affiliates.
SPARKPEOPLE is a registered trademark of SparkPeople, Inc. in the United States, European Union, Canada, and Australia. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy last updated on October 25, 2013